06 dicembre 2006

With the photo: Agnone, 800 metres high in the mountains is the most beautiful city of the region with palazzi, churches and piazzi.

It has a rich tradition of cupper, bronze and iron works.

Molise is the smallest Italian region that lies between the mountains of the Abruzzen and the lowlands of Puglia.

This part of Italy is unknown but Eelco van der Linden discovered the pure nature and the sleepy middle-aged beauty.

NATURE WITH HISTORY, THAT'S MOLISE:

The feeling that time is not important.

Mountains where you can climb in summertime and sky in wintertime.

Lovely hills with castles and beautiful shaped villages that look like Toscany.

In the 5th century before Christ the Samnites were living in Molise, f.i. Pietra Abondante is an archeological parc of rests with tempels, shops and an amphiteatre with 2500 seats. The lovely valley of Trigno surrounds this all.

The mountains of the Matese have the most beuatiful lakes and canyons of the Apenines.

Hiking and biking is possible around the tratturi, the 2000 years old paths where the sheperds went with their cattle of sheep or cows with the change of the season .

There are signs of these tratturi everywhere along the roads, but the description is not clear enough. Turism here is still in the beginning says Christel Thoolen who organises journeys through Molise, f.i. four days by horse (transmuranza)over the tratturi to the Gargano, Puglia.

The highlight of the region is Saepinum, the antique Roman city that only after World War II has been discovered.

It is an archiological parc with small farmsites between the perfect conserved theatre, arcs, walls etc.

This is all surrounded by green nature, where you walk alone, maybe only you meet the sheperd with his cows.

TO DO:

Termoli, the lively city on the Adriatic coast with it' s clean water and wide beaches is mostly visited by Italians.

The old centre is hided in a wall with castle that has been restored very well.

Overnights in hotel Residenza Sveva, that exists of rooms spread all over the old city.